Connecticut Department of Transportation Worker Elvin Hernandez Killed in I-95 Fairfield Crash

FAIRFIELD, Connecticut — A Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) employee was struck and killed Friday morning, September 25, 2026, while conducting active road maintenance along Interstate 95 in Fairfield. Emergency dispatch logs indicate that a multi-vehicle collision occurred at approximately 10:35 a.m. near southbound Exit 20. Responding Connecticut State Police troopers, local emergency medical personnel, and Fairfield Fire Department units arrived on scene, where 60-year-old Elvin Hernandez was pronounced deceased from injuries sustained in the crash. Law enforcement authorities closed all southbound lanes of I-95 between Exits 20 and 21 for several hours to conduct on-site investigations and clear debris, diverting traffic onto regional thoroughfares before reopening the highway late Friday afternoon.

Official Status and Investigation

Connecticut State Police Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Squad (CARS) units have initiated a formal investigation into the crash dynamics and contributing driver behavior. Hernandez had served with CTDOT since 2010 as a dedicated maintenance worker based out of the agency’s Stratford garage facility. Following the announcement, Governor Ned Lamont, Lieutenant Governor Susan Bysiewicz, and CTDOT Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto issued joint official statements expressing grief and issuing warnings regarding highway work zone safety. Governor Lamont announced that state flags will be lowered to half-staff on the date of Hernandez's funeral services. State police have not publicly identified the motorist involved or announced formal charges pending completion of the forensic reconstruction.

Community Tributes and Funeral Status

News of Hernandez's passing has brought widespread sorrow to his colleagues across CTDOT, state first responders, and the wider Fairfield County community. Coworkers remembered Hernandez as a committed public servant who spent 16 years maintaining state roadways to ensure the safety of the motoring public. Funeral arrangements and public memorial service dates will be formally released by his family and CTDOT officials once finalized.